Friday's golf: Lowry holds lead at rain-delayed RBC Heritage

Charley Hoffman hits a bunker shot during the second round of the RBC Heritage on Friday.(Photo: Scott Schroeder, Associated Press)

Hilton Head Island, S.C. — Shane Lowry continued his strong play at the rain-delayed RBC Heritage, moving to 9-under par with two holes left when the second round was suspended Friday because of darkness.

Lowry, who opened at Harbour Town Golf Links with a 6-under 65 after a 78-73 flameout at the Masters last week, knew conditions were worsening and jumped all over the course as quick as he could with birdies on the first and second holes before storms swept the island resort area.

After waiting out a delay of 3 hours, 43 minutes, Lowry played consistently enough to keep in front.

Trey Mullinax was a stroke behind after a 68. Top-ranked Dustin Johnson and Emiliano Grillo were 7 under after 67s.

Lowry was among 56 players who’ll return Saturday morning to complete the second round before starting the third.

Mullinax, a shot behind when the round began, tied Lowry with a birdie on the 13th. But the Irishman countered moments later with a two-putt birdie on the 15th to take the lead.

Lowry opened with a 65 to take the first-round lead Thursday. The Irishman birdied his first two holes to get to 8 under before play was halted due to a strong storm system that had caused problems throughout the Southeast this week.

“This is one of those days when you look forward to getting back on the couch and watching the guys (in the afternoon) deal with it,” said past RBC Heritage champion Matt Kuchar, a morning starter who finished before the delay. “It’s one of those struggling days where you have gone through your own struggles and fun to watch your friends go through it.”

Mullinax wouldn’t have minded that, either. But instead he played into the fading light as the wind picked up over his final holes. He said he backed off twice on his five-footer on the 18th to finish with a par.

“It was probably blowing about 30 on that putt on that green so I had to back off,” Mullinax said. “I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to take my time and try to hit the best putt I could.”

Johnson, second at the Masters last week, had his fifth round in the 60s in his past six here. He stood over a birdie putt on his final hole, the ninth, when officials blew the horn and Johnson buckled his knees thinking he might have to mark his ball right there. But players had the option to finish out and secured a par.

Johnson, a South Carolina native, had not played at Harbour Town in 10 years before returning last spring. He’s found the narrow fairways and smallish greens more and more to his liking. His formula for the weekend?

“Just keep doing exactly what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I’m swinging well, placing the ball where I want to. Hopefully, I can roll in a few putts over the weekend.”

Grillo, of Argentina, might not have to worry much about putting with a few more shots like he had on the 534-yard fifth hole.

He knocked his drive 282 yards in perfect position, then landed a hybrid club into the cup from 254 yards away for only the second albatross at Harbour Town since 1983 and first since 2007.

“It was a perfect shot,” Grillo said. “Perfect distance. Perfect everything. Perfect wind. It was one of those that was good, but you never expect it go in.”

Grillo closed his round perfectly, too, with a hole-out from 37 yards away on the tricky ninth hole.

C.T. Pan had the best round of the day at 65 and was tied with Rory Sabbatini at 6 under. Sabbatini shot a 69.

Ian Poulter led a group of 11 players who were four behind Lowry at 5 under. Poulter was among the lucky early finishers with a 67, carding six birdies during an 11-hole stretch.

Poulter held a one-shot lead after 54 holes at this tournament a year ago before ballooning to a 75 on Sunday to fall from contention.

“I’ve had some decent rounds around this place,” he said. “I haven’t really finished the week off properly yet.”

LPGA

Defending champion Brooke Henderson shot a 3-under 69 at blustery Ko Olina Golf Club for a share of the third-round lead with Nelly Korda in the Lotte Championship at Kapolei, Hawaii.

Korda had a 71, matching Henderson with a bogey on the par-4 18 to get to 14-under 202.

The 21-year-old Henderson is trying to match Sanda Post record for LPGA Tour victories by a Canadian with eight.

The 20-year-old Korda won the Women’s Australian Open in February for her second LPGA Tour title. She opened the season with five straight top-10 finishes before tying for 52nd two weeks ago in the major ANA Inspiration.

Minjee Lee and second-round leader Eun-Hee Ji were a stroke back. Lee, the Australian who won the 2016 event, had a 70. Ji shot 74 after opening with rounds of 65 and 74.

Champions

Scott McCarron topped the leaderboard at 4 under with two holes left when first-round play in the rain-delayed Mitsubishi Electric Classic at Duluth, Ga., was suspended because of darkness.

The start of the PGA Tour Champions event was delayed more than four hours because of 2 3/4 inches of rain overnight and severe weather in the morning at TPC Sugarloaf.

The 53-year-old McCarron has eight victories on the 50-and over tour after winning three times on the PGA Tour.

Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz was 5 over with seven holes remaining. The 51-year-old former Atlanta Braves star got into the field on a sponsor exemption. He tied for 53rd this season in Tucson, Arizona, in his tour debut.